Rotary peener



C- L- DEWEY ROTARY PEENER July 17, 1951 INVENTOR. welfieweq 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY maff y 17, 1951 c. L. DEWYEY 2,561,101

ROTARY PEBNE'R 1 Filed Feb. 3, 1947 4 sheets-Sheet 2 y 1 1 I c. L. DEWEY 2,561,101

ROTARY PEENER Filed Feb. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

li w July 17, 1951 c. L. DEWEY ROTARY PEENER Filed Feb. 5, 1947 4 SheetsSheet 4 mmvroa. gvwl 176 1 Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY PEENER Clarence L. Dewey, Grand Rapids, Mich. Application February 3, 1947, Serial No. 726,043

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to machine tools and has for its general object the provision of an improved hammering or peening machine for finishing metal.

Metal shaping and forming operations tend to leave marks or blemishes in the surface of the metal which detract from the appearance of the finished product; It has been the practice heretofore to eliminate these marks from the metal b resorting to relatively time-consuming and expensive finishing operations, such as buflin-g. The finish which is imparted to the metal by conventional finishing methods is not necessarily the one best suited for the purpose to which the metal may be put. In the case of furniture constructed of metal tubing, for example, a smooth finish on the metal would readily show any scratches or other marring of the surface which may occur While the furniture is in service.

One of the salient features of the present invention is that it affords a simple and economical method of imparting to the metal a finish which effectively disguises the marks and blemishes left on the metal as a result of the shaping operation, as well as rendering unnoticeable any marring of the surface which is likely to occur while the finished product is in service. This object is achieved b hammering or peening the metal to obtain a fish-scale or snakeskin finish which greatly improves its appearance. A further advantage is that the surface of the metal is hardened by being cold-worked so that it more effectively resists scratching, nicking and similar disfiguration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel rotary peener in which a series of peens is disposed on the peripher of a wheel, each peen normally being urged radially outwardly and being arranged to rebound inwardly upon striking the surface of the metal, leavinga small indenta tion in the metal. More specifically, my invention has application to a machine for operating upon metal tubing, wherein the tube is rotated while being worked thereby to space the indentations formed therein by the flying peens.

A further object is to so adapt the peener that it may be used in conjunction with a metal tube shaper, whereby the tubing is peened substantially concurrently with the shaping thereof.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein certain preferred embodiments are set forth for" purposes of illustration.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a tube shaping and peening machine which embodies the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 which is a vertical section taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1, shows the portion of the machine (mostly in elevation) hereinafter referred to as the work head;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing in detail the tube shaping and peening members of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a section through the metal feed trough taken on the line 66 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section view through a peening wheel transverse to the direction of feed of the metal tubing, showing one form of the peens which may be employed;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. '7 but showing an alternative arrangement of the peens;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line I0lll in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through a peening wheel equipped with a modified form of the peens;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line l2l2 in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a view of a section of metal tubing to illustrate the type of finish imparted thereto by my novel peening process.

Referring now to the drawings, and particular: ly Figs. 1 through 4 thereof, the combination tube shaper and rotary peener therein illustrated is supported by a suitable frame comprising head posts 20, tail posts 22, base beams 24, top beams 26 and rails 28. The rails 28 are machined on the top surfaces thereof to afford smooth ways 30 upon which a head stock 32 is adapted to travel back and forth.

A metal tube T which is to be shaped and peened is gripped at one end thereof by a chuck 34 carried by the head stock 32 and is drawn through a work head comprising the tube shaping and peening elements supported between the head posts 20 of the machine. These operations are performed upon the tube T while it is traveling from right to left as viewed in Fig. 1. The jaws of the chuck 34 preferably are pneumatically operated by the piston of a compressed air cylinder 36 carried by the head stock 32, the piston being connected b a pull shaft 38 to the chuck jaws. Pulleys 48 mounted on the hollow driving shaft 31 are connected by belts 42 to pulleys 44 on the shaft of a motor 46 mounted on the head stock 32. The motor 46 operates to rotate the shaft 31 and tube T as the head stock 32 travels along the rails 28. v The motor speed and the relative sizes of the pulleys 48 and 44 are selected to obtain the desired rotational speed of the tube T. The purpose of rotating the tube T as it is drawn through the work head will appear presently.

For moving the head stock 32 back and forth there is employed a feed screw 48, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which is journaled in a bearing 58 mounted on one of the tail posts 22 and threaded through a nut 52 secured to the head stock 32. Through changeable reduction gears 54 and a worm gear 56, the feed screw 48 is coupled to a driving motor 58 mounted on a platform 68 attached to the tail posts 22. The motor 58 is reversible to actuate the head stock 32 alternately in opposite directions. The motor speed and gear ratios are selected to obtain the desired rate of feed of,

the tube T as, for instance, coarse feeds for aluminum, brass and copper tubing, m'edium feeds for low carbon steel tubing, and fine feeds for high carbon and stainless steel tubing.

The work head includes a shaping roll 62,

Figs. 1, 4 and 5, which is capable of vertical sist the thrust of the shaping roll 82 against the tube T there is provided a bushing 64 mounted in a housing 86 secured to and extending between the head posts 28. Tube T passes through the bushing 84 prior to being operated upon by the shaping roll 82. That portion of the tube T which is being fed into the work head is supported by a trough 68, Figs. 1 and 6, carried by a stand 18. The trough 88 is constructed of or lined with suitable material which will not deface the tube T.

To control the radial movement of the shaping roll 82 relative to the tube T there is employed a templet 12, Figs. 1 and 4, in the form of an elongated bar having a contour corresponding to the shape of the table leg or other article into which the tube T is being formed. The templet I2 is bolted to a horizontally extending templetbar 14 which is supported from beneath by rollers 18 and I8, respectively mounted in the work head and the stand I8. One end of the templet bar 14 is secured to a depending arm 88 of the head stock 32. Hence, as the head stock 32 travels back and forth along the rails 28, the templet bar 14 and templet I2 are moved longitudinally therewith. The roller 16 serves to back up the templet bar 14 against the thrust of a roller 82 which rides on top of the templet 12. The templet roller 82 is carried by a vertically movable block 84 disposedbetween the head posts 28 in the work head. The block 84 is connected by an adjusting screw 85 to anothervertically movable block 88 in which the shaping roll 62 is journaled.

Thus, as the headstock 32 travels forwardly, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, the templet 12 causes the shaping roll 62 to move vertically for shaping the tube T as it is drawn through the work head. Inasmuch as the tube T is turned while being drawn forwardly, the pressureof the shaping roll 82 is progressively applied around the periphery of the tube. The roll 62 is free to turn on its own axis.

When the head stock 32 reaches the end of its working stroke, the rotation of the feed screw 48 is reversed to start the return stroke of the head stock. A pneumatic cylinder 98, Fig. 4, mounted on the movable block 84 is provided to effect retraction of the templet roller 82 during the return stroke of the head stock 32, thereby avoiding unnecessary wear of the templet I2 and roller 82. Adjustable stops 92 support the sliding block 88 while the roller 82 is retracted.

The rotary peener which finishes the metal tube T comprises a wheel 94, Figs. 1, 4, 5 and '7, journaled in a slide block 96 disposed between the head posts 28 in the work head. The block 96 is connected by an adjusting screw 98 to a smaller block I88 disposed between legs of the block 98. Ropes or cables I82 secured at one 'end thereof to the block 98 are passed over sheaves I84 mounted on the top of the work head and are attached at their other ends to a counterweight I88. The block 98 thus is pulled upwardly by the counterweight I86, causing a roller I88 carried by the block I88 to bear against a templet II8 which controls radial movement of the peening wheel 94 relative to the tube T.

end thereof to an upright arm II4 of the .head' stock 32. A back-up roll II6 journaled in'the top of the work head cooperates with the upper surface of the templet bar II2 to take up the thrust of the templet roller I88. Rollers H8 positioned beneath flanges along the upper edge of the templet bar II2 are journaled in support blocks I28.

During the return stroke of the templet II8 the t'emplet roller I88 is retracted by a pneumatic cylinder I22, and the rollers II8 support the templet bar I I2. The blocks I28, which may be provided with adjusting screws (not shown). limit upward movement of the block 9-6 and the parts carried thereby under the influence of the counterweight I86 when the templet roller I88 is retracted.

The peening wheel 94 is provided with a series of peens I24 spaced about the periphery of the wheel. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 7 and 8, the peens I 24 are shaped as pistons or plungers, the shanks of which extend through apertures in a flange I28 of the wheel 94. As the wheel 94 is rotated, in a manner to be explained presently, the centrifugal force tends to urge the peens I24 radially outwardly. Such movement of the peens I24 is limited .by heads I28 on these peens. It should be noted that the force of gravity acting on the peens I 24 in the lower half of the wheel 94 also urges these peens radially outward, but the effect of gravity is negligible compared to that of the centrifugal force which is developed during operation.

As each peen I24 is carried past the tube T, it

strikes the tube a glancing blow and rebounds.

spaced around the tube. The resultant finish F,

Fig. 13, on the tube T resembles fish-scales or the skin of a reptile, thus effectively disguising any blemishes in the tub T as it is being shaped and also hardening the surface of the metal to more effectively resist marring.

The peening wheel 94, as shown in Fig. 5, is located slightly to the rear of the shaping roll 62 in the direction of feed of the metal tube T so that the tube is first shaped and then peened. In effect, however, the two actions occur so close together as to be substantially concurrent. The peening wheel 94 may be rotated in either direction relative to the rotation of the tube T, although to avoid undue scufilng of the peens I24, it will usually be rotated in the opposite direction radially, so that as the peens I24 meet the surface of the tube, they are traveling in substantially the same linear direction, though at considerably different speeds, at the point of contact. For rotating the wheel 94 there is provided a motor I32, Fig. 4, having a pulley I34 that is connected by a belt I36 to a pulley I38, Figs. 1 and 5, on the peening wheel 94. The belt I36 is sufficiently yielding to permit vertical travel of the wheel 94 under the control of the templet II 0, whereby the peening wheel 94 follows the contour of the shaped tube T.

If desired, the finish F, Fig. 13, on the tube T may be so formed that the appearance of an orderly pattern of indentations is avoided. This is achieved in the present instance, first, by so arranging the machine that the tube T is fed relatively slowly through the work head while being rotated at a comparatively high speed. Secondly, the spacing of the peens I24 around the periphery of the wheel 94 is such as to prevent the formation of any readily discernible regular pattern on the surface of the tube T. This may be done in several ways. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the peens I24, while being in circumferential alignment, may b spaced irregularly so that the successive marks or identations which they form in the metal are distributed at random around the periphery of the tube T. This has been found to be very effective in preventing the appearance of a recurring pattern in the finish F, Fig. 13.

Another way of effecting random distribution of the marks on the tube T is to stagger the peens axially of the peening wheel as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Thus, a double row of peens I 24a is disposed around the circumference of the wheel 94a, the peens I24a in one row being arranged alternately with the peens I24a in the other row.

The individual peens may be formed in a variety of shapes, the piston or plunger type being illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10. Th peens also may consist of small balls or spheres as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. The peening wheel 94b is provided with an annular recess I40 in one face thereof extending to the outer edge of the wheel 94b. A retaining ring I42 secured to said face of the wheel 94b likewise has an annular recess I44 opposed to the recess I40. A spacer ring or plate I46 is clamped between the wheel 94b and the ring I42, seating in the annular-recesses I40 and I44. Pockets I48 afforded in the outer edge portion of the spacer plate I46 respectively house the ballshaped peens I24b. Annular lips I50 and I52 on the wheel 94b and ring I42 at the outer edges of the recesses I 40 and 144, respectively, serve to retain the balls I24b in the pockets I 48.

The operation of the embodiment shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is similar to that described above in connection with Figs. 7 and 8. As the ball peens I24b approach the tube Tb they are urged radially outwardly by the efi'ect 'of centrifugal force acting thereon, projecting slightly beyond the edge of the wheel 94b. As each ball strikes the surface of the tube Tb, it forms a small indentation in the metal and rebounds radially inwardly. The halls I24b may be spaced irregularly around the wheel 94b as shown in Fig. 11 to insure random distribution of the marks or identations in the finished surface of the metal tube Tb.

The invention has bee 11 described thus far as being employed in conjunction with a tube shaper. Obviously, it is applicable also to finishing straight tubing. In this event a simple arrangement may be utilized inasmuch as it is not necessary to provide for movement of the peening wheel radially of the tube. In such an arrangement it may be preferred to employ two peening wheels disposed on opposite sides of the tube.

The invention has been described as being 1 face thereof. It may also be utilized to remove rust or scale from the metal. The peener may be adapted to peening the interior surfaces of tubing, as well as operating upon sheet In tal.

The pattern of the peened surface is determined by the rotative speeds of the tube T and the peening wheel 94, also by the longitudinal rate of feed effected by the screw 48. The size and shape of the individual peen marks is determined largely by the radius of curvature, shape, diameter or other dimensions of the striking ends of the peens. Variations in patterns of surface finish may be made by various peener end designs such as triangular and square. The depth of impression is determined by the weight and centrifugal force acting on each peen. Random patterns, which usually are preferred, are obtained in several ways, such as by irregular angular spacing of the peens, staggering the peens, or making the weights and shapes of the peens non-uniform.

It should be noted that the blows of the peens upon the tubingv tend to counteract the radial stress of the shaping roll thereon, thus relieving the bushing 64 'of some of the thrust of the shaping roll. This effect may be increased by employing a plurality of peening wheels or, if desired, by utilizing a pair of diametrically opposed shaping rolls at the work station and disposing the peening wheel at a subsequent point in the travel of the tubing.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various other changes may be made in the specific embodiments set forth for purposes of illustration without departing from the principles of the invention. The invention is accordingly not to be limited to the precise details disclosed herein but includes all modifications thereof within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A machine of the class described, including a frame having a fixed vertical work head at one end and provided at a point between its top and bottom with horizontal rails, a head stock slidable along the rails and provided with means for engaging metal tubing for drawing the same through the work head, said head stock extending above and below the rails, upper and lower blocks slidably mounted in the work head, a lower roller mounted on the lower slide block, said upper slide block being provided with spaced upwardly extending legs, an inner block vertically slidable between and guided by said legs, an upper roller mounted on the inner vertically slidable block, upper and lower templets slidably mounted in the frame and connected with and actuated by the head stock and located at the upper and lower portions thereof and arranged to engage said rollers, and means carried by the upper and lower slide blocks for operating on the tubing drawn through the work head.

CLARENCE L. DEWEY.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Wood June 1, 1884 Dingley Nov. 28, 1911 Stiegelmeyer Sept. 7, 1915 Stiegelmeyer Oct. 26, 1915 Andreas Oct. 26, 1926 Heard et a1. Nov. 15, 1927 Gough Feb. 25, 1930 De Bats Jan. 1, 1935 Biokel et al. Aug. 18, 1936 Olson Mar. 7, 1939 Nascimbeni July 1, 1941 Dewey et al. Dec. 9, 1941 Dammer et' al. Oct. 5, 1943 Dewey Oct. 29, 1946 

